1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing device, an imaging device, an image processing method, a program, and a recording medium, and more particularly, to a white balance bracketing technique.
2. Description of the Related Art
In imaging devices, such as digital cameras, white balance bracketing which is a kind of automatic bracketing function is known. White balance bracketing is a function that applies different white balance gains to an image to be processed and obtains a plurality of images with different white balances using one imaging operation. For example, a total of three images, that is, a “base image”, “a first bracket image having a color closer to blue than the base image” and “a second bracket image having a color closer to umber than the base image” can be acquired by the white balance bracketing function. A user can reliably obtain an image subjected to appropriate white balance processing from the base image and the bracket image.
In general white balance processing, in some cases, a color failure, such as over-correction or under-correction, occurs depending on imaging conditions or object characteristics. However, according to white balance bracketing, even if imaging is performed under an environment in which a color failure occurs, a plurality of images with different white balances are acquired. The user selects a desired image from a plurality of images with different white balances. In this way, an image in which a color failure is removed or reduced is obtained.
For white balance bracketing, JP2002-51250A discloses an electronic camera that can perform bracket imaging on the basis of two imaging conditions. The electronic camera performs bracket imaging while changing each of a first imaging condition (exposure) and a second imaging condition (color balance). “A plurality of images captured under the same first imaging condition and under different second imaging conditions” are arranged in the vertical direction on a captured bracket image display screen and “a plurality of images captured under different first imaging conditions and under the same second imaging condition” are arranged in the horizontal direction on the captured bracket image display screen.
JP2006-20194A discloses an imaging device which enables a user to intuitively recognize the amount of correction in each direction. In the imaging device, on a rear display unit, the coordinate axis of a blue direction and an umber direction is displayed in the horizontal direction, the coordinate axis of a green direction and a magenta direction are displayed in the vertical direction, and the amount of correction is displayed on a coordinate system having the two axes, with a correction value being zero at the origin.
JP2002-305750A discloses a camera which can continuously capture images while changing a white balance control gain for various colors. The camera performs white balance processing on the basis of an arbitrary number of colors set by a photographer.